Augusto X. Rodriguez, Ph.D., is the Chair of the Department of Kinesiology and an Associate Teaching Professor at Rice University, where he has been a faculty member since 2010. In October 2023, he was also appointed Co-Director of the Center of Human Performance, a collaboration between Rice University and Methodist Hospital focused on human movement science and athletic performance.

Dr. Rodriguez teaches in the areas of health sciences and sports medicine. His current course load includes Statistics, Research Methods in Exercise Science, Epidemiology, Exercise Epidemiology, and Introduction to Health and Wellness.

Dr. Rodriguez has received extensive recognition for his teaching and mentorship at Rice. He has been named “Favorite Professor” by the Office of Academic Advising ten times between 2011 and 2024 and was recognized as a “Career Champion” by the Center for Career Development in 2022, 2024, and 2025. He currently serves the university community as a Resident Associate at Sid Richardson College.

Prior to his tenure at Rice, Dr. Rodriguez served as a Senior Exercise Physiologist at Baylor College of Medicine, where he coordinated physical activity for a $38 million NIH-funded study.

His professional background also includes roles as a research coordinator at the University of Houston, a behavioral science research assistant at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and a physical education teacher in the Houston Independent School District.

Dr. Rodriguez earned his Ph.D. in Kinesiology from the University of Houston in 2010. He holds a Texas Teacher Certification in Physical Education and remains active in the sports community as a National Volleyball Referee for USA Volleyball and the NCAA.